Rural schools take learning outside the classroom

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Published on Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Submitted photo. Geocaching, which is like a scavenger hunt with GPS, was one of the activities the EcoVan brought to Eden for the Grade 5 to 8s.

By Kira Paterson

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

During the month of March, students from Brookdale and Eden’s JM Young schools took part in several different learning experiences. 

On March 9, students in Grades 5 to 8 from both schools participated in a curling clinic at the Arden curling rink. 

Arman Lach and Morley Walker of Plumas and Rod Shuttleworth of Arden organized the clinic and taught the kids basic curling skills. Westman Curling Association sponsored the clinic.

From March 14 to 17, the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre’s EcoVan went around to a few schools in the area. JM Young school was among the stops, as well as Plumas, Glenella and Grass River and Riverside colonies. This tour was sponsored by Whitemud Watershed Conservation.

The EcoVan goes to schools in Manitoba that aren’t able to make the trip out to the Interpretive Centre to teach them about conservation. 

The van stopped in Eden on March 15. The Kindergarten to Grade 4 students took part in a program teaching them the similarities and differences between reptiles and amphibians that live in the wetlands. They also got to learn about the weather and how it affects both humans and animals. The Grade 5 to 8 kids got to play Voyageur games like bannock toss, dressing the Voyageur and log pull. They also learned how GPS systems work and went geocaching.